This application relates generally to a turbine seal and damper assembly and specifically to an additively manufactured inseparable seal and damper assembly.
Gas turbine engines, such as those that power modern commercial and military aircraft, generally include a compressor to pressurize an airflow, a combustor to burn a hydrocarbon fuel in the presence of the pressurized air, and a turbine to extract energy from the resultant combustion gases.
The turbine section includes rotatable turbine blade and stationary turbine vane arrays. Each of the turbine blades is spaced apart from an adjacent turbine blade to accommodate movement and expansion during operation. The turbine blades typically include a root that attaches to a rotor disk, a platform, and an airfoil that extends radially outwardly from the platform.
Hot combustion gases that flow over the platform are prevented from leaking between adjacent turbine blades by a seal, as components below the platform are generally not designed to operate for extended durations exposed to the elevated temperatures of the hot combustion gases. In addition to the seal, a damper between adjacent turbine blades dissipates vibration through frictional contact between the damper and an underplatform surface of the two adjacent turbine blade platforms.
Support of dampers within blade assemblies is typically accomplished with posts and shelf features on the blades or rotor disk. Although effective, these features may cause undesirable stress concentrations.